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Nashville, TN: The past couple of weeks have been super busy. Shows, press, dates, then a visit by Goddaughter #1 (with pictures to come!). I needed some time just to sit and be still. A bit of reflection, a bit of connection. I decided that my Sunday ritual wouldn't involve anyone other than me and God... and a three piece jazz band.
Aesthetics: I had already been to the Scarritt-Bennett Center before on a Sunday night, but The Great Church Search provides a good excuse to visit some places again. "Vespers & All That Jazz" is housed in the Wightman Chapel, a beautiful church built in the 20s which is listed on the National Historic Register.
Greeting: I was handed a bulletin when I entered the gothic building and greeted with a kind, yet nearly silent, "welcome," at the front door. I was stepping into some place sacred and it was a relief to me that I was almost given instruction to quiet myself as I took my place in the pews.
Community: There were approximately 30 people in attendance -- a mix of middle aged couples and singles, with a few African American and Asian ethnicities, all there for the same reason and enjoying the shared stillness.
Music: This offers one of my most favorite musical explorations of worship. A three piece jazz band were positioned at the front of the pews -- one man on grand piano, one man on upright bass and one man who did a variety of woodwinds (sax, flute, oboe). There were seven songs performed, from a variety of different performers and although they were instrumental, I think I picked out Morning Has Broken and The Water Is Wide.
Service: Vespers is set up each week with a theme based on a scripture reading. This week, the theme was "Jesus, the lover" and based on the scripture 1 Corinthians 13. It is best well known for being read at weddings (love is patient, love is kind, etc.). But Vespers takes it a step further by offering readings from other religious and non-religious writers reflecting the theme. Interspersed with the readings are songs performed as jazz pieces.
Message: I tried to jot down a line from each reading and was hoping they would have a download available online the next week to review again, but no such luck. Here are a few of the reflections I was able to scribble:
- Love is the great definer of life.
- Love is a learned art.
- To love yourself is to find yourself.
- When I am most monstrous, I am most in need of love.
- Physical love can never substitute for real (God's) love.
- My ability to love is still short-circuited by self-centeredness.
Denomination: The word vespers means the sunset evening prayer service in a handful of various denominations. Every Sunday at 6:30pm, this service is free and open to the public. Though held in a church and speaking of God & Jesus, they never really say that they are Christian or non-denominational. The bulletin explains, "Vespers & All That Jazz is a worship experience using words and music from a variety of sources to encounter the Sacred. We understand jazz to be a process of making music; music which shapes the service and helps us experience the interruptive Spirit of God in ourselves and others. The style is experiential. Open minds, open hearts and open ears are essential. Justice, compassion, peace and wonder are hoped-for responses."
Overall: I love it here. I love having an overall theme and hearing readings from different perspectives. I love that jazz music can be played in a church and it can feel spiritual (and also create images of sitting in a New York jazz club at the same time). However, it doesn't necessarily feel like "church" to me (which can be a good or bad thing, depending on when you ask me). I think it would serve as a nice supplement to an earlier church service. Or perhaps, when I am in need of some very specific quiet and reflection, I will know exactly where I can go.
Contact:
1008 19th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212
www.scarrittbennett.org/programs/ves.aspx
Scarritt-Bennett's Facebook page
Reflections on the Journey Thus Far: Discovering and re-discovering how and where people worship is making this such a rich, colorful experience for me. I love finding God with friends or alone; in ornate churches or under bridges; listening to old hymns on pipe organs or pop standards on jazzy woodwinds.
One More Thing: Speaking of pop standards, one of the songs that caught my attention was the only one with lyrics posted in the bulletin (still done instrumental, but you could follow along in your head):
Say the word and you'll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love.
For those of you that don't automatically recognize these lyrics, it's The Word by Lennon/McCartney. That's right -- you can even listen to The Beatles while looking for God. I got so excited about this possibility that I recorded the jazz version of the song on my iPhone which you can listen to it HERE. Or if you'd still like to hear John, Paul, George & Ringo sing & play it, you can listen to it HERE.
And since we're talking about love and Beatles, I thought I'd let John have the last words....
Community: There were approximately 30 people in attendance -- a mix of middle aged couples and singles, with a few African American and Asian ethnicities, all there for the same reason and enjoying the shared stillness.
Denomination: The word vespers means the sunset evening prayer service in a handful of various denominations. Every Sunday at 6:30pm, this service is free and open to the public. Though held in a church and speaking of God & Jesus, they never really say that they are Christian or non-denominational. The bulletin explains, "Vespers & All That Jazz is a worship experience using words and music from a variety of sources to encounter the Sacred. We understand jazz to be a process of making music; music which shapes the service and helps us experience the interruptive Spirit of God in ourselves and others. The style is experiential. Open minds, open hearts and open ears are essential. Justice, compassion, peace and wonder are hoped-for responses."
Overall: I love it here. I love having an overall theme and hearing readings from different perspectives. I love that jazz music can be played in a church and it can feel spiritual (and also create images of sitting in a New York jazz club at the same time). However, it doesn't necessarily feel like "church" to me (which can be a good or bad thing, depending on when you ask me). I think it would serve as a nice supplement to an earlier church service. Or perhaps, when I am in need of some very specific quiet and reflection, I will know exactly where I can go.